More Coverage

There was a sellout crowd at B.C. Place here Tuesday night made up mostly of fans from across the border.

How many American fans were there?

You couldn’t get a hotel downtown all weekend unless you were willing to fork over $500-plus a night.

Winnipeg was sold out of hotels rooms when the U.S. team played the first two games of group play in the Manitoba capital.

Now it’s Edmonton’s turn.

Abby Wambach, Hope Solo and Team USA will play an as yet undetermined third place opponent in their Round of 16 elimination game next Monday at Commonwealth Stadium as a result of winning the Group of Death, finishing off Group D with a 1-0 win over Nigeria in Group D.

The night before, in Montreal, host Canada finished first in Group A and will open against a third place team, also yet to be determined, in Vancouver.

Germany awaits an opponent to be settled for the first elimination game Saturday in Ottawa while the first actual match made was the same day between China and Camaroon in Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

Brazil ended up against Australia Sunday in Moncton.

Norway awaits an opponent for a Monday Round of 16 game in Ottawa. Edmonton also has a game that day but neither opponent has emerged for that one.

Japan is back in Vancouver for the first elimination game as defending champions, also against a team to be determined.

ANOTHER RECORD BY SUNDAY?

Sandy Gage of the FIFA organizing committee said they’re projecting this weekend – two full weeks before the end of the tournament – to break the USA 1999 record attendance of 1,194,215.

Gage said the sales hit 1.125 million on Tuesday.

And here’s another record.

Statistics to illustrate just how ballistic the FIFA Women’s World Cup has become so far in Canada include not just the attendance record, TV numbers predicted and projected to go from 400,000 to a billion but now this …

After the second round group games, 28.7 million fans visited FIFA digital platforms. That’s up 77% on Germany 2011.

WHERE’S SOPHIE?

When the host team arrived from Montreal on a charter here Tuesday, the media relations staff decided it would be a good idea to serve up all the local girls on the team at the media availability at Landmark Aviation.

Except one.

Sophie Schmidt, injured late in the 1-1 draw with the Netherlands, was not involved.

“I’m sure she’s going to be OK,” said coach John Herdman.

“She took a heavy hit. A heavy knock. A heavy fall. It’s a bruise and a muscular injury as opposed to something more serious.

“Our medical staff will do everything to get her back in there.

“I’m expecting her to be in there. It’s in her hometown.”

WORLD CUP NOTEBOOK

The goal the Netherlands scored in the 87th minute to gain a 3-3 draw with Canada in Montreal Monday night was the first goal the Northern Girls conceded in 284 minutes at the FIFA Women’s World Cup …. Prior to Monday in Winnipeg, China’s last penalty kick goal was scored by superstar Sun Wen in 1999 … New Zealand managed two draws at the event this year, but have now played 12 games at the Women’s World Cup and are still looking for their first win … Hanna Wilkinson is the first New Zealander to find the net in two FIFA Women’s World Cups …. Germany ended up with 15 goals in the first stage, two fewer than Norway’s record of 17 in 1995. … Lena Bruce of Germany is the first German substitute to score two goals in a game with only four others to turn the trick in history – China’s Zhang Ouying, Russia’s Elena Fomina, Norway’s Linda Ormen and Australia’s Lisa De Vanna.